When did you first realise that COVID-19 was going to have an effect on your band?
When we were at our last gig pre-lockdown, supporting the amazing ‘drunk-folk’ artist Beans On Toast, and people were talking about having to bring our own mics in future! It was an awesome night and the atmosphere was incredible, but looking back you could feel change in the air. Two days later we were in lockdown and our tour begun getting cancelled… Watch our last gig before lockdown – https://youtu.be/q9wN8kUfPpc
Initially, what was that whole situation like, and how did your band overcome/react to it?
We got creative and immediately begun working on some music videos in lockdown! The ‘Drunk Generation’ lyric video was made on a very tight time limit, in 3 days! It’s been called a “DIY (Drink It Yourself) Subterranean Homesick Blues” by critics! We’ve also finished work on two other music videos and are releasing a new single on Friday 6th November!
Watch Drunk Generation here: https://youtu.be/l1LIdM6afL8
Watch I Don’t Even Know You here: https://youtu.be/3YOzpOPxEkg
We compensated for a lack of gigs by making short acoustic vids for our local Open Mic ‘The Sunset Lounge’ – watch these here! – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRx-_vSY5fYY_8Q6vX1fNcxk-qaW32z6i
In addition we did some live-streamed gigs for #saveourvenues!
How has your creative process changed as a band over the last couple of months?
We’ve got a lot more competent at writing apart, and sending each other ideas. The lockdown gave us a lot of room to focus on our music, and we used it to finish off a lot of older material and write a ton of new tracks too!
What’s been the hardest part about writing/doing music this way?
Well you sometimes hit a wall when you can’t sit in the same room as someone else to bounce ideas off of. But we’ve had experience of writing like this before as we were at different universities for 4 years! Since then we’ve released our debut EP (which is a banger) and have got such momentum going that we’re not going to let a pandemic stop us. We’ve had to change how we do things is all…
What bands/artists have you been listening to over the last couple of months?
I think with a lack of the outdoors, it was really a case of appreciating it when I was outdoors. I got into an artist called Beirut, who’s music is very cinematic (listen to Gallipoli). Also Fleet Foxes (new album Shore is superb). But the new Strokes album really got me through lockdown. The song “Why Are Sunday’s So Depressing” and the line “I kind of miss the 9-5” felt so relevant. Also a debut release form EOB (Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien) was pretty good. I also had a massive Elvis phase, and took to writing stuff that sounded like it might have come out of his Las Vegas period.
So, what do you think you’ve learnt the most from being a band through COVID-19?
Keep going and don’t let things knock you. Being creative is the best way to combat stress around these things.
What kind of effect do you think that it’s had on the music industry all together, and how excited are you to see it return to normal?
It’s pushed for artists to try and promote themselves online a lot more, and so the online music landscape has changed a lot. The worst thing is venues having to fight not to close down. Music venues are so important, and I’ve been really impressed by the amount of people who’ve shown their support for grassroots venues. Out of 100 I am 1000% excited for a return to normality. I want Ali In The Jungle to be in venues again, and on the festival circuit.
What tips/advice would you like to give to other bands who are also going through this?
Use YouTube, and remember you can reach fans all around the world using platforms like this. That’s what we’re gonna do. We enjoyed making our music videos loads so are going to keep going with that! Our ‘People Change’ music video is out on Friday 6th November!
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